McNeill appears to have been treated with leniency for years by an overburdened court system.
On June 17, 2001, court documents show, McNeill shot Roland Lee Mays in the face, neck, shoulder, chest and stomach. The records indicate that McNeill injured two other people that day, as well. He was charged with multiple counts of assault inflicting serious bodily injury.
A year later, apparently while awaiting trial in the shootings, McNeill was charged with possessing marijuana and trying to manufacture and sell it.
The charges from the two cases were consolidated, records show, and McNeill was allowed to plead guilty to lesser counts. He was sentenced to 40 to 50 months of supervised probation in June 2003, the records show.
Two months later, in August 2003, McNeill violated terms of his probation by failing to notify probation officers of his whereabouts. He was sent to prison. Records show that he entered the prison system in October 2003 and was released in May 2006.
Three months after his release, records show, McNeill was charged with possession with intent to sell marijuana and cocaine and with maintaining a vehicle for drug use.
The records show that McNeill pleaded guilty to reduced charges - a misdemeanor offense of maintaining a vehicle for drug use - and again was placed on supervised probation, on Jan. 1, 2007.
As part of the plea deal, District Court Judge Kim Tucker told McNeill that he could go on unsupervised probation if he tested negative for drugs three consecutive times, records show.
While still on supervised probation, McNeill was charged in April 2007 with possessing cocaine, records show.
He was charged again in September 2007 - this time with hitting Fayetteville police officer R. Grimm with his vehicle while trying to flee from the corner of Bragg Boulevard and Ames Street. Records indicate Grimm was injured, but they don't say how badly. McNeill was charged that day with trying to elude arrest, reckless driving and assault on a government official.
Two months later - on Nov. 30, 2007 - Superior Court Judge Jack Thompson allowed McNeill's probation status to be changed from supervised to unsupervised, records show.
Mario Andrette McNeill, 29, was on unsupervised probation when police say he kidnapped 5-year-old Shaniya on Nov. 10. He is accused of raping and killing her the same day.
http://fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/11/18/953074